GOVERNOR RAIMONDO IS LIVE FOR
HER CORONAVIRUS UPDATE.
LET'S GO RIGHT NOW.
GOV. RAIMONDO: WE CONTINUE TO
SEE A PLATEAU.
WE ARE HOLDING STEADY AT AROUND
200 CASES A DAY.
TODAY, 203 CASES.
A DECLINE IN HOSPITALIZATIONS,
WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT TO
BE SEEING.
SADLY, ANOTHER 11 DEA
THS, WHICH
IS A CONSTANT REMINDER OF THE
TOLL THAT THIS VIRUS HAS TAKEN
ON THE LIVES OF SO MANY RHODE
ISLANDERS.
THE FACT IS I DO NOT KNOW
ANYBODY OUT THERE WHO IS NOT
STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW, IN THE
MOST EXTREME CASE, PEOPLE WHO
HAVE LOST A LOVED ONE, BUT LOTS
OF PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT OF WORK,
PEOPLE WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH
PHYSICAL HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH,
STRESS, ANXIETY.
I REALIZE IT IS A TIME OF
UNBELIEVABLE UNCERTAINTY, AND AS
I HAVE ASKED YOU BEFORE, TODAY,
AND FRIDAY, THE END OF THE WEEK,
TO BEGIN OUR WEEKEND, I WANT TO
ASK EVERYONE OUT THERE TO THINK
OF ONE KIND OF THING THAT YOU
CAN DO FOR SOMEBODY TODAY.
IT MATTERS.
IT IS A TIME FOR KINDNESS,
PATIENCE, CREATIVITY,
FLEXIBILITY, A RECOGNITION THAT
WE ARE NOT IN THIS ALONE.
EVERYONE IS STRUGGLING IN SOME
WAY RIGHT NOW.
IF YOU FEEL YOURSELF GETTING
AGITATED, ANGRY, OR FRUSTRATED,
I WOULD ASK YOU TO TAKE A PAUSE,
TAKE A BREATH, AND I WOULD ASK
YOU TO THINK OF ONE KIND THING
YOU CAN DO FOR ANOTHER RHODE
ISLANDER TODAY.
LOOK IN ON A LOVED ONE, CALL
SOMEBODY, EXERCISE PATIENCE WHEN
IT IS DIFFICULT, DELIVER
GROCERIES.
IT IS WHAT IS GOING TO GET US
THROUGH THIS, AND I HAVE BEEN SO
IMPRESSED BY THE KINDNESS AND
GENEROSITY OF
SPIRIT OF RHODE
ISLANDERS, THAT I HAVE SEEN
EVERY DAY OVER THE PAST TWO AND
HALF MONTHS.
LET'S HANG IN THERE WITH EACH
OTHER A BIT LONGER.
IT WILL BE THE THING THAT GETS
US THROUGH THIS.
WE CANNOT CHANGE THIS VIRUS.
NOBODY WANTS TO BE HERE.
WE ARE WHERE WE ARE.
WE ARE FACING IT AS A NATION
PAIRED RHODE ISLAND IS HANDLING
IT MUCH BETTER THAN MANY OTHER
STATES, AND IT IS OUR KINDNESS
AND OUR STRENGTH AND OUR
COMMUNITY THAT IS GOING TO CARRY
US THE DISTANCE.
OK, TODAY I WANT
TO SPEND A FEW
MINUTES, AS I SAID I WOULD,
TALKING ABOUT HOW I THINK ABOUT
THE PROCESS OF MOVING IN BETWEEN
PHASES.
AS YOU KNOW, ABOUT A WEEK AGO, I
LISTED THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER
--
LIFTED THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER, I
SAID IT IS A TIME TO GET OUT OF
OUR HOUSES, GO TO PARKS
, AND IT
IS THE HOPE THAT WE WILL GET TO
ANOTHER PHASE AND ANOTHER PHASE
AND EVENTUALLY, YOU KNOW, KIND
OF GET OUT OF THESE PHASES AND
GET BACK TO "A NEW NORMAL."
THE QUESTION SO MANY HAVE ASKED
IS -- HOW DO YOU KNOW IT WILL BE
SAVED TO MOVE FROM VEGAS 1 INTO
-- PHASE 1 INTO PHASE 2?
HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT THINGS ARE
SO BAD SUCH THAT YOU MIGHT GO
BACK A PHASE?
SO I WILL GIVE YOU A MINUTE TO
LAY OUT HOW WE THINK ABOUT IT.
I WILL SAY THIS, I DO HAVE A
GREAT DEAL OF CONFIDENCE, PEOPLE
HAVE SAID TO ME -- HOW IS IT
GOING?
IT IS GOING WELL, IT IS
GOING
WELL, BECAUSE BY AND LARGE,
RHODE ISLANDERS ARE FOLLOWING
THE RULES.
BY AND LARGE, WE SEE HIGH
COMPLAINTS OF SOCIAL DISTANCING,
NOT A LOT OF CONGREGATING IN
PARKS FOR FAMILY GATHERINGS, AS
FAR AS WE CAN TELL.
PEOPLE ARE WEARING THEIR MASKS
-- NOT EVERYBODY.
IF YOU ARE NOT DOING IT, I AM
ASKING YOU TO PLEASE, PLEASE
GRAB A BASKET GO AHEAD AND JOIN
THE CLUB.
IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO -- A
MASK AND GO AHEAD AND JOIN THE
CLUB.
IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY REAL
INCIDENTS OF OVERCROWDING AT
RETAILERS OR GROCERY STORES.
RETAILERS HAVE BEEN SUPER
COMPLIANT, SO, AGAIN, I WANT TO
THANK YOU.
IN GENERAL, YOU WANT TO THINK
ABOUT A MONTH BETWEEN PHASES, SO
FROM THE START OF PHASE 2 FROM
THE START OF PHASE 1, THE START
OF PHASE 2 TO THE START OF PHASE
3, ASSUMING EVERYTHING GOES WELL
TO IT WHY IS THAT?
BECAUSE TO START A PHASE, YOU
MAKE SOME CHANGES, WHATEVER THE
CHANGES MAY BECOME A INCREASED
GATHERING, RETAIL, ETC..
YOU WANT TO DO THAT FOR ABOUT A
COUPLE OF WEEKS, AND THEN YOU
WAIT A COUPLE OF WEEKS IN ORDER
TO SEE THE EFFECTS OF THE
CHANGES YOU MADE.
THERE IS NO PARTICULAR MAGIC
OF
14 DAYS SPECIFICALLY, BUT WE
KNOW THE INCUBATION PERIOD OF
THE VIRUS IS SUCH THAT YOU WANT
TO, IF YOU CAN, GIVE YOURSELF A
COUPLE OF WEEKS TO OBSERVE THE
IMPACT OF WHAT WE HAVE BEEN
DOING
.
SO FOR INSTANCE, IF THE FACT
THAT WE HAVE LIFTED THE
STAY-AT-HOME ORDER WILL GET US
INTO TROUBLE, WE WILL NOT KNOW
THAT UNTIL A COUPLE OF WEEKS
FROM NOW, AND SO THAT IS, AS
APRIL OF THUMB, YOU KNOW, YOU
CAN THINK ABOUT PHASES MOVING IN
ABOUT A MONTH, SO PHASE 2,
ASSUMING EVERYTHING GOES WELL,
OUGHT TO START AT THE BEGINNING
OF JUNE, ASSUMING THINGS GO
WELL.
HOW DO WE MOVE IN BETWEEN THE
PHASES?
SO THERE ARE, WE HAVE DECIDED,
AFTER A LOT OF INCINERATION,
THOUGHT, CONSULTATION
--
CONSIDERATION, THOUGHT,
CONSULTATION, FOUR METRICS THAT,
TAKEN TOGETHER, CHARGING THE
COURT THAT THE VIRUS HAS TAKEN
TOGETHER, WHETHER THE VIRUS WILL
DECLINE OR INCREASE.
IF YOU CAN PUT THE SLIDE UP, IT
EXPLAINS THESE FOUR METRICS.
THE NUMBER ONE MOST IMPORTANT
THING THAT WE ARE GOING TO KEEP
OUR EYE ON AS WE MOVE THROUGH
PHASES IS OUR HOSPITAL CAPACITY.
THIS IS THE THING THAT WE CANNOT
ALLOW -- WE CANNOT ALLOW
OURSELVES TO GET INTO A PLACE
WHERE OUR HOSPITALS GET
OVERWHELMED.
IT IS WHAT YOU SAW HAPPEN IN
ITALY.
IT IS WHAT YOU SAW HAPPEN IN NEW
YORK CITY AND OTHER PLACES.
IT IS A SCARY PLACE TO BE, AND
WE DON'T WANT TO EVER GET THERE.
IT IS A CHALLENGE, RIGHT
BECAUSE, AGAIN, WHAT WE SEE
TODAY IS WHAT WE WILL SEE A
COUPLE OF WEEKS FROM NOW.
FOLKS ARE FRUSTRATED IT IS TO
SLOW.
I GET THAT.
I WISH YOU COULD GO FASTER.
THE PROBLEM IS, IF YOU GO
FASTER, A WEEK OR WEEKS FROM
NOW, YOU COULD HAVE AN OVERRUN
HOSPITAL, AND THAT IS EXACTLY
WHAT WE WANT TO AVOID.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO GUARANTEE
THAT EVERY RHODE ISLANDER CAN
HAVE ACCESS TO THE HEALTH CARE
THEY NEED, INCLUDING A HOSPITAL
BED, AT ANY TIME THEY NEED, AND
THAT OUR HOSPITALS WILL NEVER
GET OVERWHELMED WITH COVID
PATIENTS.
FRANKLY, LIKE, IT IS VITAL THAT
IF YOU, GOD FORBID, HAVE A HEART
ATTACK, A STROKE, YOU NEED TO
GET TO THE HOSPITAL, THERE IS A
HOSPITAL BED AND A PHYSICIAN AND
A CARE TEAM TO TAKE CARE OF YOU
AT ALL TIMES.
THAT IS PARAMOUNT TO WHAT WE ARE
TRYING TO DO HERE.
CURRENTLY, ABOUT 30% OF ALL BEDS
THAT COULD BE AVAILABLE FOR
COVID PATIENTS ARE FILLED.
THAT IS ABOUT 20% IN THE ICU.
THAT IS GREAT NEWS.
IT MEANS WE HAVE THE CAPACITY.
I DO WANT TO TAKE A SECOND TO
THANK OUR HOSPITAL LEADERS.
THEY HAVE DONE AN UNBELIEVABLE
JOB AT SURGE PLANNING TO FLEX
THE RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE AT
EACH OF THEIR HOSPITALS, AND
THEY HAVE IDEA TO FIND THAT THE
COVID PATIENTS,
WHILE RESERVING
OBVIOUSLY THE MAJORITY OF THE
BEDS FOR NOT COVID PATIENTS AND
MEDICAL EMERGENCIES.
IF WE CONTINUE TO SEE LESS THAN
70% OF BEDS FILLED BY COVID
PATIENTS, AND THE SAME FOR ICU,
THEN WE KNOW IT IS SAFE TO
CONTINUE TO MOVE TO THE NEXT
PHASE.
IF, HOWEVER,
WE SEE A SPIKE IN
HOSPITALIZATIONS AND WE END UP
WITH 85% OR MORE OF BEDS FILLED
WITH COVID PATIENTS, EITHER IN
THE OVERALL CAPACITY OR THE ICU,
THEN WE MAY HAVE TO SCALE BACK.
THE SECOND METRIC
, RELATEDLY, IS
NEW HOSPITALIZATIONS.
AND OBVIOUSLY IT CONNECTS WITH
THE FIRST.
NEW HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE A GOOD
INDICATOR OF THE TREND THAT WE
ARE SEEING, WHAT IS HAPPENING
WITH THE VIRUS, INCREASING
PLATEAU OR DECREASING.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE ARE BELOW
70% CAPACITY IN
THE HOSPITAL
BED, BUT WE ARE SEEING A SPIKE
IN NEW HOSPITALIZATIONS, THAT IS
A SIGN SOMETHING IS HAPPENING,
AND WE MIGHT NOT BE READY TO
MOVE FORWARD.
AT THE MOMENT, WE ARE
CONSISTENTLY SEEING FEWER THAN
30 NEW HOSPITALIZATIONS A DAY,
AND SOME DAYS IT IS LESS THAN
THAT, SO OBVIOUSLY, IF IT STAYS
AT THAT RATE OVER THE NEXT FEW
WEEKS, IT WILL BE SAFE TO GO
AHEAD AND MOVE TO THE NEXT
PHASE.
IF, HOWEVER, WE GET TO A PLACE
WHERE, ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE START
TO SEE CONSISTENTLY 50, 60 NEW
HOSPITALIZATIONS A DAY,
THAT IS
A WARNING SIGN THAT WE MAY HAVE
TO PAUSE.
THE THIRD METRIC IS THE RATE OF
SPREAD.
IT IS A GOOD INDICATOR.
IT IS A GOOD INDICATOR OF WHERE
IS THE VIRUS GOING.
ARE WE STARTING TO CLIMB BACK UP
ON THE CURVE?
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE.
EPIDEMIOLOGISTS MEASURE THE RATE
OF SPREAD WITH SOMETHING THEY
CALL THE R VALUE.
YOU MIGHT SEE IT IN THE NEWS,
THE RT, THE R0, THE
R VALUE, IT
IS THE EFFECT OF SPREAD RATE.
HOW MANY PEOPLE DOES ONE
INFECTED PERSON IN FACT
--
INFECT?
SO IF I AM TESTING POSITIVE, HOW
MANY OTHER PEOPLE WILL INFE
CT?
AN R VALUE OF ONE MEANS ONE
FOR
ONE, EACH PERSON WILL IN FACT
OTHER PERSON.
THAT IS A MEASURE OF
CAPABILITY.
IT IS A PLACE THAT OUR SYSTEM
CAN HANDLE.
IT IS A PLACE THAT ALL OF OUR
SYSTEMS, THE HOSPITAL BEDS, THE
HOSPITAL SURGE, THE TESTING, THE
CONTACT TRACING, EVERYTHING, WE
COULD HANDLE.
AN R VALUE, YOU KNOW, ON THE
OTHER EXTREME, AN R VALUE OF
3,
WHICH IS ABOUT WHERE WE STARTED
THIS A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO,
THAT IS A SCARY PLACE TO BE.
THAT IS AN UNSUSTAINABLE, SCARY
PLACE TO BE.
THAT MEANS ONE SICK PERSON IS
INFECTING THREE OTHER PEOPLE,
AND WE ESTIMATE THAT, YOU KNOW,
IN MARCH, WE WERE AT AN R-VALUE
OF SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THREE AND
FOUR.
TODAY, WE THINK WE ARE JUST AT
ABOUT ONE, MAYBE EVEN JUST
UNDER ONE.
THAT IS AWESOME, BY THE WAY TO
HAVE SOFTER RHODE ISLAND.
WE WERE IN SUCH A SCARY PLACE,
TO BE HONEST, AND NOW WE ARE
NOT, NOW WE ARE IN A STABLE
PLACE.
AS LONG AS WE, YOU KNOW,
CONTINUE TO TRACK THAT, WE WILL
BE IN A VERY GOOD PLACE, SO WE
ARE GOING TO TRACK THE R VALUE.
IF THE R-VALUE CONTINUES TO BE
AROUND 1.1 OR
LOWER, THEN WE
THINK IT IS SAFE TO MOVE TO THE
NEXT PHASE.
IF WE START TO SEE THE R-VALUE
EDGE UP
TOWARD 1.3, 1.4, 1.5,
THAT MEANS THE VIRUS IS PICKING
UP STEAM, WE ARE NOT DOING A
GOOD ENOUGH JOB WITH
SOCIAL DISTANCING, MASK WEARING,
AND SUCH COME AND WE MIGHT HAVE
TO THINK ABOUT GOING BACK A
PHASE.
I WANT TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR ABOUT
THIS.
THE R-VALUE -- HOW MANY PEOPLE
ONE PERSON CAN IN FACT -- IS
ABSOLUTELY IN OUR CONTROL.
TOTALLY IN OUR CONTROL.
IF WE WEAR OUR
MASK, THAT HAS A
BIG IMPACT ON THE R-VALUE.
IF WE WASH HER
HANDS, BIG
IMPACT.
DON'T CONGREGATE, STAY
HOME IF
YOU ARE SICK, IF YOU ARE
POSITIVE, GET INTO ISOLATION.
TAKE A SECOND NOW.
WE WERE NOT DOING ANY OF THOSE
THINGS WHEN WE STARTED THIS TWO
MONTHS AGO.
TWO MONTHS AGO, WE DID NOT KNOW
MUCH ABOUT THE VIRUS.
WE WERE TRYING TO WASH OUR
HANDS, BUT WE WEREN'T DOING
SOCIAL DISTANCING, HANDWASHING
WE NEED TO, SAYING HOME WHEN WE
WERE SICK.
WE CERTAINLY WERE NOT DOING
TESTING AND GETTING FOLKS
IMMEDIATELY INTO ISOLATION.
WE WERE NOT MASK WEARING.
THAT IS HOW WE HAVE GONE FROM AN
R-VALUE OF 3.5 TO 1.
SO IF WE CONTINUE TO FOLLOW
THESE RULES, HIGH AND VERY
OPTIMISTIC THAT WE ARE GOING TO
CONTINUE TO OPEN OUR ECONOMY.
WE MOVE BETWEEN
THESE THREE
PHASES EVERY THREE WEEKS,
WITHOUT SEEING OUR R-VALUE AND
OUR HOSPITALIZATIONS CREEP UP.
HOWEVER, IF WE GET OUT THERE AND
START TO GET LAZY OR LAX, THEN
WE ARE GOING TO GET INTO
TROUBLE, AND THAT SHOULD NOT
HAPPEN, BECAUSE THESE STEPS,
ALTHOUGH THEY ARE FRUSTRATING
AND STRANGE AND ANNOYING, WE
HAVE TO TAKE THEM, AND IF WE DO,
I THINK WE REMAIN IN VERY GOOD
SHAPE.
LAST METRIC ALSO ON THE BOARD IN
FRONT OF YOU IS THE DOUBLING
RATE OF HOSPITALIZATIONS, SO
THIS IS A METRIC YOU HEARD A LOT
ABOUT IN THE NEWS.
I HAVE OFTEN TALKED ABOUT IT.
IT IS AN IMPORTANT WAY TO LOOK
AT THE TRENDS OF THE VIRUS.
CURRENTLY, OUR HOSPITALIZATIONS
ARE STABLE OR EVEN DECLINING.
SO OBVIOUSLY THERE IS NO
DOUBLING THAT IS OCCURRING.
WE WERE AT A PLACE WE WERE
DOUBLING EVERY ONE AND A HALF TO
TWO DAYS.
THAT IS A VERY BAD PLACE TO BE.
THAT MEANS THE VIRUS IS RUNNING
AWAY WITH ITSELF.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
-- I
FULLY EXPECT HOSPITALIZATIONS
ARE GOING TO GO UP.
LET ME BE CLEAR.
WE ARE GOING TO START GETTING
BACK TO WORK, WE ARE GOING TO
LET THE KIDS GO BACK TO CAMP,
YOU ARE GOING TO SEE
HOSPITALIZATIONS GO UP.
BUT AS LONG AS IT TAKES MORE
THAN A MONTH TO SEE A DOUBLING
OF HOSPITALIZATIONS, WE FEEL
CONFIDENT THAT WE ARE IN A GOOD
PLACE, AND THERE WON'T
BE AN
OVERWHELMING SURGE IN OUR
HOSPITAL BEDS.
IF WE START TO SEE A DOUBLING OF
HOSPITALIZATIONS IN 15 DAYS, 20
DAYS, THEN WE ARE GOING TO HAVE
TO TAKE A HARD LOOK, TREAD
LIGHTLY, THINK ABOUT PUTTING
RESTRICTIONS BACK IN PLACE,
BECAUSE IT COULD MEAN WE ARE IN
A BAD PLACE, AND OUR HOSPITALS
WOULD GET OVERWHELMED.
SO I WOULD SAY I HOPE THIS IS A
GUIDE, I HOPE IT IS A GUIDE, WE
LOOK AT IT ALL IN TOTAL.
OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE TO APPLY SOME
COMMON SENSE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE
NOT GOING TO SAY THAT SUDDENLY
WE SEE 50 NEW HOSPITALIZATIONS
IN A SINGLE DAY, THAT WE HAVE TO
HIT THE BRAKES.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR TRENDS.
, YOU KNOW,, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY
IF YOU ONLY HAVE 5, 10 PEOPLE IN
THE HOSPITAL, A DOUBLING RATE
WOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM.
I AM OFFERING THESE THINGS, THE
DOUBLING RATE AND METRICS, SO
YOU HAVE A SENSE OF HOW WE THINK
ABOUT IT, BUT IT IS COMMON
SENSE, IF YOU GO FROM 10
HOSPITALIZATIONS TO 20, THAT IS
NOT AN EMERGENCY.
AND THEN THE LAST THING IS, ALL
OF THIS IS OVERLAID WITH AN
ASSESSMENT OF OUR SYSTEMS.
ARE WE WHERE WE NEED TO BE WITH
TESTING?
ARE WE TESTING PEOPLE IN THE
INNER-CITY?
ARE WE TESTING VULNERABLE
COMMUNITIES?
CAN WE GET TO AN OUTBREAK IN A
FACILITY QUICKLY AND GET IT
UNDER CONTROL?
IS OUR CONTACT TRACING WORKING?
YOU KNOW, ALL THE SYSTEMS THAT
WE HAVE SET UP.
SO I HOPE THAT IT IS CLEAR OR
CLEARER HOW WE ARE THINKING
ABOUT IT.
I WILL TELL YOU NOW, OUR SYSTEMS
LOOK GREAT.
TESTING, CONTACT TRACING, PPE,
YOU KNOW, ALL THE MASKS,
VENTILATORS, SUPPLIES, HOSPITAL
BEDS.
THE SYSTEMS WE HAVE DEVELOPED
OUR STRONG.
THEY ARE IN GOOD SHAPE, AND WE
ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MAKE
SURE THAT THAT IS THE CASE.
I WILL SAY I LOOK FORWARD TO
MOVING TO PHASE 2.
RIGHT?
WHEN WE STARTED PHASE 1,
MAY 8,
I WANT TO GET TO PHASE 2 VERY
EARLY IN JUNE, AND THEN I, YOU
KNOW, HOPEFULLY, KNOCK ON
WOOD,
VERY EARLY IN JULY, WE WILL BE
MOVING ON TO PHASE 3.
AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO IN EACH
PHASE IS MAKE CHANGES AND THEN
HOLD STEADY ON THOSE CHANGES.
OBSERVE THEM,
HOPEFULLY
EVERYTHING IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH
THE METRICS, MAKE SOME MORE
CHANGES, OBSERVE THEM, AND THEN
MOVE ON.
THE THING WE REALLY HAVE TO
PREVENT IS OVERWHELMING OUR
HOSPITAL SYSTEM.
WE JUST DON'T EVER WANT TO GET
TO A PLACE WHERE SOMEBODY CANNOT
GET A HOSPITAL BED WHEN THEY
NEED IT OR CANNOT SEE A DOCTOR,
ETC.
OK, TWO OTHER
QUICK POINTS, BOTH
IMPORTANT, BUT I WILL BE BRIEF.
I WANT TO MAKE A SPECIAL MENTION
OF A TOWN HALL THAT WE ARE
HAVING FOR OLDER ADULTS.
NEXT THURSDAY AT 11:00 A.M., I
AM GOING TO BE HOLDING A
FACEBOOK LIVE FOR OLDER RHODE
ISLANDERS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND
THEIR CAREGIVERS.
I WILL BE DOING THIS IN
COLLABORATION WITH SECRETARY
ROBERTSON, THE U.S. ASSISTANT
SECRETARY FOR AGING, OUR OWN HHS
SECRETARY JONES, AND ROSE JONES,
WHO RUNS THE OFFICE OF HEALTHY
AGING, AS WELL AS OTHER
COMMUNITY ADVOCATES.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LISTEN IN,
SEND YOUR QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE.
YOU CAN SEND A QUESTION TO US AT
COMMUNICATIONS@GOVERNOR.RI.COM
,.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO IT.
.
THIS IS A DIFFICULT TIME FOR
OLDER ADULTS.
YOU KNOW YOU ARE SUSCEPTIBLE,
YOU WANT TO BE CAREFUL, BUT ALSO
YOU WANT TO LIVE YOUR LIFE, YOU
WANT TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE
SUPPORT YOU NEED, THE FOOD AND
MEDICINE THAT YOU NEED, THE
HEALTH CARE YOU NEED,
TRANSPORTATION THAT YOU NEED.
I KNOW IT IS AN ANXIOUS TIME.
I HOPE THE TOWN HALL GIVES YOU A
CHANCE TO TUNE IN, ASK YOUR
QUESTIONS, AND IT IS OUR HOPE
THAT WE CAN HELP ALLAY YOUR
CONCERNS AND PROVIDE YOU WITH
SUPPORT.
FINALLY, AS A REMINDER, MONDAY
IS A DAY THAT BUSINESSES THAT
ARE REOPENING OR ARE ALREADY
OPENED NEED TO HAVE THEIR
COVID-19 CONTROL PLAN COMPLETE.
THERE IS AN EASY TO USE TEMPLATE
ONLINE AT REOPENINGRI.COM.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SUBMIT YOUR
PLAN TO THE STATE, BUT YOU NEED
TO KEEP IT ON FILE.
SO I AM TRYING TO MAKE THIS
AS
EASY AS POSSIBLE FOR BUSINESSES
TO COMPLY.
IT IS A LITTLE BIT OF AN HONOR
SYSTEM HERE.
WE ARE ASKING YOU TO GO
ONLINE
TO LOOK AT THE TEMPLATE, CREATE
A CONFERENCE OF PLAN FOR YOUR
BUSINESS.
IF AN INSPECTOR COMES, YOU WILL
BE ASKED TO PRODUCE YOUR PLAN,
BUT WE ARE ASKING YOU TO SUBMIT
IT IN ADVANCE TO THE STATE.
WE ARE TRYING TO BALANCE PUBLIC
HEALTH, PUBLIC SAFETY, WITH